Why Should I Visit This Site?

You should visit this site because you believe in the value of travel. We believe that travel is an incredible privilege, and an important way in which we build bridges and connect the world. We believe that in a world that threatens to tip towards nationalism and conflict, travel opens doors and melts hearts. For those of us that are physically, financially, and politically able to travel, there is a responsibility to travel thoughtfully and with intention.

We think every place is worth a visit, and that trying to rank destinations is crazy. We’ve had as many amazing experiences in tiny villages in the rural Midwest as in downtown Rome. There’s nothing wrong with having some priorities though, since we all travel for different reasons and with different lenses. That’s what this site offers. We love each and every place we go. Even a bad experience yields insights and growth. We want to share that joy with you.

Each “Why Should I Visit” article uses a “review” layout to help distill a few different aspects of a destination. While everyone has their own metrics, we use “Escaping the Bubble,” “Food,” “Sights,” and “Getting Around.”

Escaping the Bubble describes the opportunities for a having an experience outside of the tourist trail. We believe that tourist destinations are often tourist destinations for a good reason – because there are amazing things to see. There’s no shame in going to Paris and visiting the Eiffel Tower. But there’s a lot to be learned by getting away from the packs of tourists following a flag-hoisting guide. In some places, that can be nearly impossible (or illegal). In others, you’d be hard pressed to find another person who looks like you.

Food is about enjoyment, not about sophistication or complexity. We love the roadside hotdogs in Iceland, and the bowls of pho eaten on plastic tools in Vietnam. We rarely indulge in a “fancy” meal, no matter the destination. Our food category is about unique experiences, not about Michelin stars.

Sights refers to the destinations – the places you seek out. Some of our favorite places to visit don’t have any major sights – they’re about the experience of being in a place. And we’re always looking for unique ways to experience our surroundings.

We’re avid walkers, so Getting Around often refers to the pedestrian-friendliness of a place. It will also cover transit, and other ways of exploring a place. Do you need to sit in traffic in a rental car? Can you hop on an easy-to-navigate subway?

Even though we use a star rating system for each of these, you’ll notice that every destination gets an overall score of five stars. Because everywhere is worth a visit.

To learn more about who we are, and for a description of the different sections of the site, check out the About page. Travel on.